Clip for sheet material

ABSTRACT

A clip for use in gripping a flexible sheet material, having a wedge shaped body defining an opening through which sheet material may be inserted, and a recessed portion within which a clamping member and an actuating member are located. The clamping and actuating members fit in serial relation within the recessed portion, each being movable for limited pivotal motion about substantially parallel axes. The actuating member is mounted to the body, and the clamping member is mounted between one end of the actuating member and the body by means of a slot at one end of the clamping member which mates with one end of the actuating member, and a slot in the body of the clip which mates with the other end of the clamping member. The slots formed in the clamping member and the body are formed by a dihedral having planes of length such that the overall length of the two members and the dihedral planes form an overcenter retainer as the clamping member and actuating member are moved between an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;on&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; and &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;off&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position, resulting in a toggle action. The clamping member includes a sheet material gripping member which is moved into and out of the opening of the clip as the clip is actuated between the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;on&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; and &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;off&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; positions.

United States Patent [191 Green [451 Apr. 30, 1974 CLIP FOR SHEET MATERIAL Inventor: George W. H. Green, Ringwood,

Australia [73] Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company,

Rochester, NY.

Filed: Dec. 26, 1972 Appl. No.: 318,050

Primary ExaminerDonald A. Griffin Attorney, Agent, or Firm.lohn L. Parker [57] ABSTRACT A clip for use in gripping a flexible sheet material,

having a wedge shaped body defining an opening through which sheet material may be inserted, and a recessed portion within which a clamping member and an actuating member are located. The clamping and actuating members lit in serial relation within the recessed portion, each being movable for limited pivotal motion about substantially parallel axes. The actuating member is mounted to the body, and the clamping member is mounted between one end of the actuating member and the body by means of a slot at one end of the clamping member which mates with one end of the actuating member, and a slot in the body of the clip which mates with the other end of the clamping member. The slots formed in the clamping member and the body are formed by a dihedral having planes of length such that the overall length of the two members and the dihedral planes form an overcenter retainer as the clamping member and actuating member are moved between an on and off position, resulting in a toggle action. The clamping member includes a sheet material gripping member which is moved into and out of the opening of the clip as the clip is actuated between the on and off positions.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 'q'lll r'fl p BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a toggle-action, springless clip, adapted to grip, without substantial tearing or other damage, an edge of a photographic film or other sheet such as in a film processing machine or processing tanks.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART A film clip is most often used with moving apparatus for carrying film to be processed through a processing machine. Usually two clips are needed, one attached to a film conveyor or transport means and adapted to grip the top edge of the film, while the other clip, usually weighted, is suspended from the lower edge of the film to keep it vertical during transport.

The gripping action of the clip must be reliable, and it has generally been thought that only glass and high quality stainless steel could be brought into contact with the processing solution for the required period of time without undesirable consequences. Glass, however, is too brittle; and the stainless steel clips which have been used are very expensive, and are subject to losing their springiness. These stainless steel clips also damage the film due, for example, to holes pierced in the film by teeth on the clip. In addition the holes formed by the teeth often cause scratches in film when film is brought into mutual contact, and so the perforated section must usually be removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION prises an elastic body defining a recess for receiving cooperating clamping and actuating members. The clamping member includes means which grip a received sheet when the actuating member is depressed on and releases the sheet when the actuating member is depressed off. The clamping and actuating members are mounted in thebody recess for limited, relative, rocking movement about substantially parallel axes, but in opposite senses, between the on and off position; the axis of the actuating member being so disposed that the clip may be put on or off by depressing the appropriate part of the clamping member or actuating member respectively. The members are so interengaged that the distance between the axes during the movement between the axes exceeds the distance between the axes in both on and off positions, the excess being so related to the elastic properties of the clip in toto as to afford a toggle action between the on" and off positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention may be better understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a preferred form of clip in accordance with the invention, shown in an off position;

FIG. 2 is a similar section of the clip in an on position;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are top and bottom plans respectively of the clip of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is an end elevation of the clip, as shown generally in FIGS. 1-4, in the off position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in more detail, there is illustrated a clip, composed of plastic or other suitable material, which includes a body 6 having a recess 7 for receiving a clamping member 8 and actuating member 9. As shown in FIG. 3 the clamping member 8 and actuating member 9 may take the form of rectangular plates fitting closely within the recess 7, but cooperating therein and being movable for limited, rocking action about substantially parallel axes. These axes (to be described later) are transverse to body 6 and parallel to one of the ends of the clamping member 8 or actuating member 9. The members 8 and 9 may be so mounted within the recess 7 and interengaged that in moving between an on and off (corresponding to clamping and releasing respectively) position, each member rotates the other through a relatively small angle about its respective axes, but in opposite senses. The clamping member 8 is provided with teeth 10, or similar engagement means, which in an on i.e. clamped position, cooperate with apertures l l, or the like formed in body 6, for firmly gripping the edge of a received photogaphic film 12 or other flexible sheet material.

The body 6 may be of substantially rectangular formation with the recess 7 formed in one of the largest faces, such as the top or bottom, and a slot 13 provided in an end face, the slot 13 being adjacent the clamp member 8. The edge of a sheet 12 which is to be clamped may be inserted into this slot 13 and the clip is in the off position. An inner end of the slot 13 may define an appropriate abutment 14 whereby the user of the clip may establish by feel that the sheet 12 is in a position to be engaged by the teeth 10.

The portion of the body 6 that defines the slot 13 may be in the form of jaws 15, 16, of which the outwardly facing parts are advantageously rounded to define a curved entry portion for the sheet 12 to be clamped. The jaw 15 may define a reentrant acute-angled dihedral 17 which opens into the recess 7, and cooperates with one edge of clamping member 8 so that the apex of the dihedral forms a smoothly pivoting axis for the clamping member 8.

The opposite edge of clamping member 8 is also advantageously formed with an acute angled dihedral 18 which receives and acts as a pivot for the nearer edge of the actuating member 9. The actuating member 9 may be arranged to pivot about an axis 19, which is in the plane of the actuating member 9 and substantially fixed with respect to body 6. For this purpose the actuating member 9 may be provided with opposed stubshafts 19a which are closely, but rotatably, fitted into holes (not shown) defined in side members 20 of the clip. This intermediate position of the actuating member axis 19 ensures that the clamping member may be put ofi by depression of actuating member 9 at one end 21 (FIG. 1). A stop member 23 may be located within the recess 7 to engage the end 21 and thereby limit its motion.

Preferably the clamping member 8 is wedge-shaped, the cross section of which is a plane at right angles to its axis of rotation, and tapers from a point at the edge remote from the actuating member 9, to the dihedral 17 of jaw 15.

Preferably, also, the intersection of the plane forming sections of each dihedral portion remains parallel to the axis of rotation 19 of the actuating member 9, in both the on and off positions of the clip, and at all stages of movement therebetween. The distance from angle of the dihedral 17 to angle of the dihedral 18 of the clamping member, plus the distance from the angle of the dihedral 18 to the axis of rotation 19 slightly exceeds the direct distance from the angle of the dihedral 17 to the axis of rotation 19. The excess is so related to the elastic properties of the clip in toto as to provide a suitable toggle action between the on and off positions without necessitating the use of springs or the like.

A series of drain holes 22 may be provided for releasing moisture.

In use, assuming the clip to be in the off (unclamped) position shown in FIG. 1, the edge of a photographic film 12 is inserted between the jaws l5, l6 and into the slot 13 until the user feels the stopping action of the abutment 14. Pressure is then exerted on the dihedral 18 of the clamping member 8 and in a direction inwardly of the above-mentioned recess 7. This clamps the clip and causes the teeth of the clamping member 8 to extend into or across the slot 13 to engage the edge of the film 12 and in cooperation with the above-mentioned apertures which may be formed in one of the jaws 15, 16, hold the film 12 firmly in position.

When the clip is to be unclamped, the user exerts pressure on the end 21 of the actuating member 9 that is remote from the clamping member 8, causing the opposite rotation of the clamping member 8 through a small angle and thereby releasing the film 12, which can be easily withdrawn from slot 13.

Advantageously, the pressure required to release the clip exceeds that required to clamp it. This may be achieved by increasing the leverage available on the clamping member 8 such as by making the distance between the dihedral angles to exceed the distance between the axis of rotation 19 of the actuating member 9 and the edge thereof that is engaged by the clamping member 8.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the clip provided by this invention is relatively simple in nature, involves no springs and can readily be produced entirely in plastics materials.

I claim: 1. A clip for gripping a flexible sheet, comprising: a body; first and second elastic members disposed on said body for rotational movement about first and second substantially parallel axes respectively, in opposite sense, the first axis being such that the first member is disposed so that the clip may be put in a first condition by force applied to the first memher and the second axis being such that the clip may be put in a second condition by force applied to the second member, said second axis being defined by a reentrant dihedral in said body which receives an edge of said second member, the interengagement between said first and second members being provided by an edge of said first member received within a reentrant dihedral in said second member, the pieces forming planes of each dihedral remaining parallel to the axis of rotation of said first member, said members being so interconnected that their total linear dimension, during movement between said axes, exceeds the linear dimension between said axes during said movement and in said first or said second conditions, the excess being such that the elastic properties of said first and second members affords a toggle action between said first and second conditions; and

means, responsive to the putting of said clip in said first condition, for forcing the received sheet against said body.

2. A clip as claimed in claim 1 wherein the distance between said pieces forming said dihedral planes exceeds the distance between the axis of rotation of said first member and an edge engaged in said dihedral of said second member so that the leverage available on said second member is such that force on said first member that is required to move the clip from its second condition to its first condition exceeds that re quired to move said clip from its first to its second condition. 

1. A clip for gripping a flexible sheet, comprising: a body; first and second elastic members disposed on said body for rotational movement about first and second substantially parallel axes respectively, in opposite sense, the first axis being such that the first member is disposed so that the clip may be put in a first condition by force applied to the first member and the second axis being such that the clip may be put in a second condition by force applied to the second member, said second axis being defined by a reentrant dihedral in said body which receives an edge of said second member, the interengagement between said first and second members being provided by an edge of said first member received within a reentrant dihedral in said second member, the pieces forming planes of each dihedral remaining parallel to the axis of rotation of said first member, Said members being so interconnected that their total linear dimension, during movement between said axes, exceeds the linear dimension between said axes during said movement and in said first or said second conditions, the excess being such that the elastic properties of said first and second members affords a toggle action between said first and second conditions; and means, responsive to the putting of said clip in said first condition, for forcing the received sheet against said body.
 2. A clip as claimed in claim 1 wherein the distance between said pieces forming said dihedral planes exceeds the distance between the axis of rotation of said first member and an edge engaged in said dihedral of said second member so that the leverage available on said second member is such that force on said first member that is required to move the clip from its second condition to its first condition exceeds that required to move said clip from its first to its second condition. 